Fullerton 2010 – Friends For Fullerton's Futurehttp://www.fullertonsfuture.org
Friends for Fullerton's Future supports causes that promote intelligent, responsible and accountable government in Fullerton and Orange CountyFri, 09 Dec 2016 01:43:49 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7Fall Out of a Chair, Get a Tax Break. Bankhead Discovers “Chief’s Disease”http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/fall-out-of-a-chair-get-a-tax-break-bankhead-discovers-chiefs-disease/
http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/fall-out-of-a-chair-get-a-tax-break-bankhead-discovers-chiefs-disease/#commentsThu, 06 Oct 2011 21:00:58 +0000http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/?p=18969Some say Mayor Don Bankhead retired from the police force too early, unfortunately missing out on the last decade’s massive pension spikes that have driven modern public safety pensions well into six figures. As a result, Bankhead’s annual CalPERS pension is only $81,351.16, still about three times what the rest of us might be able to get from Social Security.
What?

But Bankhead found another way to boost his pension. Through a series of dubious disability claims filed towards the end of his career, he was able to make at least 40% of his retirement tax-free. The injuries were allegedly suffered when Bankhead fell down some stairs and then later worsened when he fell out of a chair, according to this LA Times article from 1990.

“Chief’s Disease,” as these disability pension spikes are commonly called, were all the rage in law enforcement circles in the 80’s and 90’s. At one point, eighty percent of senior CHP retirees had curiously developed debilitating injuries in the last two years of service, which made up to 50% of their pensions tax-free for the rest of their lives.

So how much does Bankhead get tax-free? The city won’t tell us, and neither will CalPERS. Bankhead’s case file was recently destroyed by the workers’ comp court where his case was heard, and no journalists bothered to follow up on the story.

In my day, we didn't have 3 at 50. We had to be creative.

One thing we do know: Bankhead didn’t “throw in the towel” due to alleged injuries. He quit after he had been passed over for the Police Chief job, and promptly announced his ambition to run for the Fullerton City Council. Then he tried (unsuccessfully) to run against Brad Gates for Orange County Sheriff.

That’s a lot of ambition for a guy who doesn’t pay his share of income taxes because he’s “totally disabled.”

]]>http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/fall-out-of-a-chair-get-a-tax-break-bankhead-discovers-chiefs-disease/feed/45Peer into The Thought Process of the FPOAhttp://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/peer-into-the-thought-process-of-the-fpoa/
http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/peer-into-the-thought-process-of-the-fpoa/#commentsWed, 14 Sep 2011 03:00:50 +0000http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/?p=20697UPDATE: Here is a post from waaaay back in November, 2010 about how our police union leaders view the political process and their ability to manipulate it to their own advantage. Of course the egregious Andrew Goodrich figures prominently in our post. Be sure to read the last sentence!

Just in case you thought there was any doubt that public service might not be the number one priority of Fullerton’s boys in blue, take a look at the document below, a veritable “how-to” article on political influence written in 2003 by FPD PIO and union front-man, Andrew Goodrich.

See, it’s all about how to leverage your members dues to create a political machine and get what’s coming to you. Actually it’s about defining what’s coming to you and getting a subservient collection of clowns you elect to go along for the ride.

I especially enjoyed Goodrich bragging about batting one thousand. The record looked great in 2003, but then the wheels started coming off the squad car. Chris Norby and Shawn Nelson jumped ship PDQ (although Norby stayed on the Police Reservation long enough to vote for the obscene 3@50 deal in 2001, thanks Norby). The pitiful police-backed pipsqueak Mike Clesceri was tossed out in 2004 after a mere one term; and ditto the equally useless Leland Wilson who was just a bad memory by 2006.

In 2010 the union backed a geriatric of dubious mental competency, a poster boy for pension abuse, and a guy who dodged criminal responsibility by giving his DNA to the DA. Hey two outta three ain’t bad –for them. For the rest of us? Not so good!

Bringing shop floor militancy to a police force near you...

And here’s a little bit more about Mr. Goodrich: promoted to “Community Services bureau leader – and police public information officer” last January as chronicled by Barbara Giasone:

Goodrich also signed the May 3, 2010 MOU on behalf of the FPOA, along with Barry Coffman and Robert Kirk.

And just in case you feel your tax dollars that pay for 3@50, etc. are insufficient thanks to the police for all they do you can always help out some more. Here’s a solicitation we received from the FPOA just yesterday. Your gift is supposed to go to FPOA “community outreach” but IS NOT tax deductible. Hmm. You get a decal of a police badge.

In closing I really feel compelled to wonder whether or not any of the three worthy gentlemen named above have been posting comments on our blog.

]]>http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/peer-into-the-thought-process-of-the-fpoa/feed/86Looking Back on His First Campaignhttp://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/looking-back-on-his-first-campaign/
http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2011/looking-back-on-his-first-campaign/#commentsWed, 12 Jan 2011 16:30:11 +0000http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/?p=21869Local art gallery owner Jesse La Tour just blogged an honest retrospect on his grassroots campaign effort for the 2010 Fullerton city council race:

Whether you agree with him or not, it’s hard to ignore a refreshingly forthcoming guy who jumps in as an unfunded but creative underdog, gets licked by the moneyed interests, but then dusts himself off and vows to return again.

And five thousand votes for a $1,000 ain’t bad at all. See you in 2012, Jesse.

Cherry-flavored, glow-in-the-dark, radioactive Jebus! Who could have supposed that 2009 could have been topped when it came to really awful and horrific political candidates? But it was. By 2010. And it wasn’t even close.

2009 brought us the spectacle of Chris Norby running for County Clerk to preserve our birth certificates from the silverfish; and the hideous Linda Ackerwoman, an Irvine claim-jumper whose appalling repuglican candidacy for State Assembly resembled a jail break though a swamp more than a political campaign.

Well, Hell! They were just getting us warmed up.

In the category Worst Political Campaign 2010 we roll out the following rogues gallery of nominees:

2. Lorri “Lorraine” Galloway. Another Anaheim Hills denizen who created at least three fake abodes (2 illegal) to run for the same seat as Sidhu. Her manifest idiocies, including the unintentionally hilarious “Lorri in 4th gear” video series (and the now world-wide youtube sensation “Poor Bella”) identified this brain-dead clothes horse as the utter lightweight she is. Her checkered past revealed all sorts of scams that would have made Elmer Gantry weep bitter tears of envy. Oh, Anaheim! I lift my leg on thee!

Here’s the deal: the guy with most seniority since last being Mayor shall be appointed, plain and simple. And that means our Crazy Ol’ Doc Heehaw is line to shoulder the burden of the mayoralty, like it or not. Well, he can shirk his duty again, like he did before, and go to the second spot.

Not time to step up?

That means the next in line to be Mayor is Sharon Quirk-Silva, with Dr. Phogbound as Mayor Pro Tem; and if he declines the second spot, too, that would fall to the highest vote getter in the last election. And that’s our old Friend, Bruce Whitaker.

Now it could very well be that Sharon Quirk-Silva would defer her place until next year to run for re-election in 2012 with the title “Mayor of Fullerton,” in which case our next mayor would be Whitaker.

Could greatness be thrust upon him?

Of course Administrative Policy #37 isn’t worth the TP it was written on or the Sharpie it was written with – despite the fact that it’s the wet-dream of all Fullerton liberals, and ironically could produce the first truly conservative mayor since…well, since anybody could possibly remember.

How will it play out? Who knows? One thing is certain. This is Fullerton and it’s bound to be a confused mess. But the entertainment value should be high.

]]>http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/heehaw-its-the-law/feed/16Doc Hee Haw For Mayor?http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/doc-hee-haw-for-mayor/
http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/doc-hee-haw-for-mayor/#commentsMon, 22 Nov 2010 23:00:57 +0000http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/?p=20906It’s that time of year again when Fullerton council selects one of its own to preside over the crackpot, klutzy and expensive meetings it holds.

We count on the hare-brain, corn pone braying of F. Richard “Dick” Jones to supply us with the material we need to keep our ratings up. And so to the question of whether the hot-headed Jones should take up the gavel and lead us into the teens we say: Hell yes!

The entire genus Equus, approves...

And let’s not forget that like us, Jones, too, received Weekly OC recognition, but not in a good way.

As a teaser we provide this council-clip of a constituent of marginal competence; it culminates in the inevitable ravings (Ahma Colonel) and crazy gesticulations of Dr. Dick, in response. Rather than let the poor bastard have his say and go away, Heehaw leaps into the breach to defend the honor of…well, of something. He ain’t gonna take no shit from some whacked-out dog face, nuh-uh, noooosirree!

And so we say: Go Doc, go!

]]>http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/doc-hee-haw-for-mayor/feed/10Congrats to The Fullerton Reformershttp://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/congrats-to-the-fullerton-reformers/
http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/congrats-to-the-fullerton-reformers/#commentsSat, 13 Nov 2010 19:56:13 +0000http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/?p=20778Although it’s a bit late, I want to add my voice to the chorus congratulating Chris Thompson and Bruce Whitaker for their impressive elections to the Fullerton School District Board and the Fullerton City Council, respectively.

Chris Thompson out-polled every other candidate in Fullerton by a mile, despite his opponents’ support from the teachers union.

The Fullerton School District Board of Trustees has been a sinkhole for years, poulated by liberals and Ed Royce RINOs. And of course the Fullerton City Council…well the less said about that the better, but Whitaker will be running that show in no time.

I expect good things and real, effective change from both of them. I know I won’t be disappointed.

Here’s a fun video of something that occurred a couple weeks ago. The entertainment value is pretty good.

I was minding my own business while having a bowl of delicious Pho at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant – just like I have been doing for 25 years. I was approached by a man inside the restaurant claiming that I was not allowed to park in his parking lot.

I finished my Pho quickly paid my bill and went outside only to be surrounded by a gaggle of Roland Chi supporters. It turns out that this restaurant is in the same center as Roland Chi’s scampaign headquarters! Those guys sure were interested in what I had in my truck!

Once outside I was again approached my the same man who claimed to own the shopping center telling me that I could not park there because it was his parking lot. The man in the video did actually push me, but being the sweet and gentle guy you all know and love I got in my truck and motored off.

Oh, and by the way, guess what I saw parked in front of Chi Headquarters? You guessed it. The white sign theft van!

QED.

]]>http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/chis-gang-accosts-admin-at-vietnamese-restaurant/feed/57Cops Offer $10,000 Reward for Capture of Sign Thiefhttp://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/cops-offer-10000-reward-for-capture-of-sign-thief/
http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/2010/cops-offer-10000-reward-for-capture-of-sign-thief/#commentsTue, 09 Nov 2010 17:00:41 +0000http://www.fullertonsfuture.org/?p=20632Well, not our cops. But up in San Jose they take political sign theft seriously. That’s why the police and fire unions have offered up ten grand for information leading to the capture and prosecution of some local sign stealers. You can read all about it on CNBC. Those guys up in San Jose sure do value free speech.

But back to Fullerton and the case(s) of the missing Bad Chi and No McKinley signs…

They have sentimental value.

Our friends at the Fullerton PD have been provided with plenty of clear photographicevidence of criminal activity, free of charge. We even did all of the legwork for them: following the getaway van back to headquarters, ID’ing one of the suspects, and making contact with all of the eye-witnesses. As far as I can tell, all that’s left is a little bit of paper work and a call to the District Attorney’s office to make sure that the perps aren’t already on parole.

So three weeks have gone by and the election is now behind us. And what do we have to show for our crime-fighting efforts?